Hestia's Sorrows
by Ananimous
Summary: Hestia already has enough to deal with. Between the children that have adopted her as their protector and Raz's uncontrollable fire bending, she doesn't have any free time. The last thing that she needs is a band of bumbling idiots, who are trying to look like fire nation civilians to call attention to the kids that she looks after.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Slums

It wasn't a horrible place to live. Look past the grime and the putrid smell, and the slums were an alright area of town. They were halfway between the market and Mr. Zano's farm, so there was only a half hour walk to get to food. Of course the food wasn't free, but it was easy to steal and there were houses, or trees in the case of Mr. Zano's farm, to run through and escape capture. It was surprisingly easy to stay alive in the small town that liked to be called a fire nation city.

"Hestia come quick!" a young voice called. I stood up from where I had leaned against a grime covered wall and turned to face the child. A girl crashed into my knees. The girl's sooty cheeks were stripped with healing cuts and tear lines.

"Leena, what happened?" I tried to calm the girl down by speaking softly and in a low voice. My street roughened hand rubbed at the little girl's back. Leena's shirt was worn through, bits of blue string were hanging free from the woven cloth, soon I would have to find scraps to make her a new one, or get one of the boys to steal her a shirt.

"It's Raz! He's lost control again," Leena sobbed.

"Let's go," I ordered. I breathed out and sent a quick prayer to the gods. As long as no one else caught onto Raz and his abilities, than this would all work out. I didn't want to think about what would happen if someone important did find out about him. Leena nodded and pulled me in the direction that she had come from. I paused to scoop her up in my arms and then sprinted. Leena held onto me and pointed the way. I ran passed people and around street corners, dodging the rubble that littered the streets of the people who couldn't afford to get rid of their trash. Soon I'd have to send the girls out hunting, there must be something flammable in this dump of rotting food scraps and broken pottery. A small crowd had formed in the road. Some people cheered when they saw me, others screamed for me to control my kids. I set Leena'ssmall body down on the road.

"Stay here," I said. Leena nodded, her corkscrew curls bouncing in time with her head, "Are you scared?" I asked. She nodded again and darted forward to hug my knees. Fire used to terrify her, and in moments like this, it still did. "Don't worry, I'll bring him back like I always do."

I took a deep breath and turned to face the street where Razwas. Firelight was faintly pulsing against the wood of the shanty town that this part of the city had morphed into. I took a few steps and peered into the deserted alley. Raz was curled into a small ball in the middle of the street, a ring of red fire surrounded; it was hot enough to singe the hair on my arms. Raz's fire had always been a bit cooler than most of the young fire bender's, almost like he could control an ice fire. It took a lot of energy and concentration for him to actually burn someone, which was why the heat from this fire was surprising.

"Raz? are you in there?" The shape in the flames sat up and looked to where I was standing. I kept still, trying to keep him calm.

"Hestia?" the boy asked. His high voice broke midway through my name and he sounded like he was close to tears. I let out the breath that I had held and started to move again.

"What's the rule, Raz?" I called. I continued to step carefully towards where he was lying.

"Don't cry unless absolutely necessary?" he asked.

"That's the one," I said.

"I can't stop it." He didn't sound like he was going to burst into sobs, but Raz was still scared.

"That's why I'm here." I was at the edge of the circle of fire. With one sharp flick of my wrists, I cleared a part of the circle and stepped through before the fire rushed back into the space with a heat that flowed like water. I sat down next to him and ignored the heavy smoke that surrounded us. Raz looked like he wanted to speak, but didn't know what to say, so I kept silent and gave him the time that he needed. Raz usually spoke without thinking, so the fact that he was gathering his words, like the birds gather seeds, was a little surprising. Then again, nothing about this day had been normal.

Raz finally looked up at me, his eye's were filled with unshed tears, "Can I cry now?" he asked quietly.

"Is it necessary?"

"I think so."

I opened my arms to the eight year old boy. He buried his face in my chest and cried. The tears evaporated off of his cheeks before they touched my shirt and I held him until his body stopped shaking and he fell asleep. I stroked his ashy hair and waited for the fire to die down. Raz did well, he kept the fire close to him, so that it didn't spread to the flimsy houses. He also managed to keep the heat to mildly pink and no burnt to death, something that I was incredibly thankful for. The fire sputtered and died down so I gathered Raz's warm body in my arms and I walked back to where Leena was sitting. The crowd had left and she was counting the small stones in the road. She looked up when I walked by. I took her outstretched hand and allowed her to lead us back to the slums. Raz nuzzled my neck as we walked. I hiked him higher on my hip and glared down at Leena, who was giggling uncontrollably.

"Not a word. You hear me?" the little girl snickered. I pressed a hand to Raz's back. He would hate me forever if word got out that he was an unconscious cuddler.

Raz woke up a few hours later. Leena left shortly after we got back to go play in the streets. A few of the other kids had gone to flinch some food, but I forbade them from waking Raz up. Raz was the best at finding food that was easy to take, but he was exhausted from creating so much fire. "You didn't have to give me your bed," he said. Raz always woke up grumpily, so I usually ignored him in the morning.

"Go wash the crud from your face," I said from where I sat. My feet dangled off the edge of the roof. The house was condemned, but it was structurally sound, so I didn't worry about it collapsing from underneath me and I didn't worry about the people living there yelling, or attacking, me or the kids. Plus, we could sleep through the night up here and not be seen by the assholes that stole from homeless folks. "We'll, discuss your actions later," I told his retreating form.

"Yeah yeah, okay. Bye Hestia," he shouted over his shoulder.

"What? No 'thank you for earlier?"

"Bye Hestia." I shook my head at him. That boy was too young to be trying to be cool. He probably thought that he had to be as tough as the royal family, what an idiot.

A/N: Hey Guys, sorry it took me so long to write again. Im back now and I have some ideas. I hope you liked this chapter. The Gaang will be in the story soon, but I thought that it would be better to solidify the OCs before I introduced the ones that we all know and love. Also, this story is situated right after "The Headband", so it'll be pre nice Zuko. (sorry for all Zuko lovers...I feel ya) Anyway, review if you have comments or liked this, it helps me a lot, emotionally and I use reviews as a way to figure out where to go next.

Thanks again,

-Ananimous


	2. Chapter 2:Dinner and Family

Chapter two: Dinner and Family

I usually made the ten kids that made up my new family trade chores everyday. One day the boys would have to gather firewood, while the girls got food, the next day, they switched. I never told them to split up by genders, that part just happened. Today was the girls turn to filch food. The Merchants didn't know about my 'family' yet. The market was always crowded, so it was easier to blend in, but the stall workers were on the alert for thieves, so it was also much more dangerous. Raz was the only boy who was brave enough to steal from the markets, I never asked the other boys why they didn't. I guess it had something to do with their lives before they lost everything, and we all had lost everything. The other boys, both older and younger, had night terrors. That was another thing that I didn't ask about, I figure that they'll come and tell me in their own time. Just because they didn't say anything didn't mean that I was sleeping through an entire night.

In the beginning, we had set up a sort of buddy system. Whenever someone had a nightmare, their buddy would wake up and get me. It didn't matter if the sun had just disappeared behind the "city" roofs, or if it was so dark that they tripped over the sleeping forms of the other kids; I still got woken up. Usually, Zana woke me, because her buddy, Kane, had night terrors. He showed up one night with a broken arm and multiple green-black bruises on his face. That was three years ago, and his past still managed to haunt him.

All of the kids had strong wills. Sure, they got scared, but they all survived on the streets and had done this on their own for a long time. Most adults didn't even make it through a year before they crashed; but Zana had been by herself since she was two and the twins had been out here in the harsh world for much longer than Zana. I took a deep breath of clean air. The only clean air is up here, on the roofs. The warming fires from the slums had polluted the rest of the air until it tasted like trash and soiled linen.

One of the better things about this place is that the slums aren't a depressing shade of gray. In t

the last town that I had lived in the slums were so filthy that a film of white mold covered every pathway. At least here I could Everyone, even the homeless like us, owns some colorful clothing; and with Mr. Zano's farm nearby, it is easier to get green vegetables to eat in the summer.

"We're back!"

"And we brought food!" I turned to see the twins as they climbed up the ladder and onto the roof. Azida and Daazi's shoulders were starting to broaden and their voices sometimes cracked, but they still managed to look good.

"Did you bring back the others?" I asked. I hadn't seen the other boys who had gone to the farm with Azida and Daazi yet.

"Yeah, they're coming..." Azida trailed off, "it's not my fault!"

"Where did you leave them?" I asked. I tried to keep the panic out of my voice, but both boys flinched at my tone. I forced my breaths to be even and slow. "We're a family here and family looks out for each other. Now tell me where the rest of the boys are." The twins had grown up on the streets, their childhood was the same as mine was, but they were the last to come under my care. There were some rules that the twins needed to have shoved into their thick skulls before they understood.

"They wanted to go and play in the stream."

"And you left them there!"

"They said they'd be back soon. Don't worry, Hestia. We'll go back and get them. This wont happen again," Daazi said.

"You'd better." I could see that the threat wasn't necessary. Azida was whiter than a lacy sheet on wash day and his brother had a determined gleam in his eye. Daazi would not forget himself again. He didn't speak unless he believed in what he was saying, but I wasn't so sure if Azida would remember. Azida was hot headed, but Daazi was much more likely to throw a punch before his brother could bother to feel insulted. As the oldest in the group, they were often caught by Mr. Zano, and beaten for their attempted crimes. While they were receiving black eyes and swollen ribs, the other kids were running away, or stealing food. The girls had an easier way to take from the old man. They split up and had one group beg at his door and the other wandered through his fields, choosing the best of his crops. They called it the Beg and Bag.

I looked up at the sky. There weren't many clouds, so I wouldn't have to set up the rain guards- which was a relief- but the sun was nearly setting behind the nicer houses in the "city". I turned toward the large, cast iron pot that sat in the middle of the roof. Zana had found it a few years ago and it was still usable. I think some homeless family had used it as a cradle for their baby, seeing as Zana found a few toys in the pot. We gave the toys to Leena and she played with them until they fell apart. I poured a bucket of freshwater into the pot and inhaled sharply. As I let my lugs push the air out, I raised my hands and smiled when a small fire started under the pot. Soon, the girls would return with firewood and I wouldn't have to concentrate to keep the fire going; but for now I sat cross-legged on the roof and closed my eyes.

Slowly, the kids made their way to the roof. Raz and Kane were sent back out onto the street to see if there were any new people in the slums who could benefit from a warm meal. Sometimes a person who eats dinner with us will stay the night and, eventually, become a permanent part of the family. This didn't happen often, but it wasn't unheard of. Mostly weary, poor travelers would be grateful for the meal and they would be indebted to us. My family needed all the favors it could get.

"Lizz, you start cutting up some of those vegetables; and Leena, you feed the fire," I said. The girls nodded and began to work. Lizz was ten years old, so I trusted her with a knife. Lizz had kept the short blade on here since her lonely street days. She was tough for a ten-year-old, and even if she didn't say it, I knew that she valued being in this group. When Lizz was done, I dumped the vegetables into the pot and waited. Raz and Kane came back as the food was cooking and reported that there were no newcomers that needed our help. Then they ran off to join the other kids, who were on the other side of the roof playing a game.

"Guys food's ready!" I called out a few minutes later.

"No it's not!" Azida said. He rushed towards me and held his hands behind his back. I raised an eyebrow but waited for him to explain. "We got you something." All of the kids were gathering behind Azida, and his brother smirked a little. "It's been another year that you've kept us all safe and fed," Azida began, "and we thought that we should do something to thank you. We've been working hard and we managed to get you this," he held out a small glass jar with a golden powder in it. I took the gift from Azida and willed my hands to stop shaking. My eyes burned and my throat felt like there was a rock stuck in it. I unscrewed the cap and sniffed, the powder was a spice, that much was sure.

"Did you get me," I sniffed it again, "curry powder?" I asked. All of the kids nodded. I turned to the pot and sprinkled a little of the spice into the soup. "Here's to us then." I dished out the soup into the bowls that the kids passed me. They didn't need to hear it from me, I could see from their faces that the children knew how much I appreciated their gift.

A/N: Ahhhhh sorry guys! I exceeded my one week update rule. I am eternally sorry! I'll try to be more on top of that in the future. I'd like to take the time to thank my lovely betas(well, there's only one now because my usual editor is still in school, but there will be two rather shortly) Also a shout out to Locano for reviewing. It made me super happy to hear from you (and in such a short amount of time too!) Have a good week and I hope this will be updated by next sunday at the latest!

-Ananimous


	3. Chapter 3: Arrival

Chapter 3: Arrival

The unnatural silence of the night kept me up. The air was cold, but my face was still too warm and my stomach churned like the waves of a sea. There was something very wrong with this night. I sat up and looked around. There were ten bundles, each rising and falling in their own steady patterns. A few of the kids were shivering under their thin blankets, but I could fix that relatively quickly. All of the night sounds had disappeared, which was worrisome. The night was quiet enough that I thought I could hear the stars snickering. This wasn't good, the last time the stars laughed at me, Azida had been caught by the police.

"Hestia?" a timid voice asked. I didn't turn around, it was getting close to one o'clock and Kane's night terrors always set in at one.

"Is it Kane again?" I whispered.

"Yeah...it's a bad one tonight."

"Have you tried waking him up?" I asked. I pushed the blanket down to my knees and slowly stood up.

"Oh he's awake, but it's still there and I can't snap him out of it."

"You think you can go back to sleep?" Zana shook her head and grabbed my hand. The night was cold, but the small hand was colder. Despite her fear, Zana's eyes were steady and her breath was even. "Alright let's go," I said. I started walking around the sleeping children. Zana was behind me and her footsteps were soft enough that I couldn't hear them over the sounds of the sleepers. Kane and Zana slept near the opposite side of the roof from me, so that if anyone attacked, they would have to go through me before they got to the younger kids. I could see Kane sitting on top of his blanket, knees to his chest and his head bowed low. Zana let go of my hand and sat down next to where Leena was sleeping. I continued to Kane and sat behind him. The boy was shaking, but I let him cry without interruption. After a few minutes, he leaned back onto my chest and I put my arms around his skinny frame. His arms had a little muscle on them, but he still suffered from missing meals while he was alone.

We stayed like that until Kane cried himself back to sleep, his body finally relaxing against mine. Kane's dark hair was soaked with sweat from the nightmare, but his face held no pain. I bent my head and pressed the lightest of kisses onto his forehead before I wrapped the blanket around him and placed him back on the roof. Then I moved to where Zana had fallen asleep next to Leena. I picked her up and tucked her in her blanket next to Kane. All of the children had fallen asleep around the long dead fire. I wasn't going to fall asleep for a while anyway, so I created a smaller flame and set it in the fireplace. A cricket-mouse chirped in the distance; it was the first animal to make a noise all night. The wind blew and goosebumps covered my arms.

The wind picked up as the night continued. The starlight pulsed in time with the wind's howls. One by one, each of the children woke up and huddled around the fire. I kept the flame going despite the wind and the children who were using my legs as pillows. Both Azida and Daazi were in the same position that I was in, with two kids on each of their legs. Leena sat in my lap, and Kane, who was curled against Zana, jumped in their sleep as the wind screeched around us.

"Hestia?" a hesitant voice asked.

"Yeah, Azida?" The younger children had fallen asleep, and Daazi was dozing against his brother's back.

"Something's gonna happen."

"Yeah, I can feel it too. Don't worry too much, whatever happens, happens." The twins had lived on their own for a long enough time that they developed a sort of sixth sense. They always knew when trouble was waiting in the mouth of a dark alley. Azida played with Zin's long, brown hair. He was always fidgeting and something had drawn him to Zin's quiet resolution. She was one of the only kids who fully accepted her situation and decided to make the best of it. Zin was the best thief in this town, not even Raz could beat her record of never being caught.

The wind blew a little stronger, but most of the kids had reached a deep enough level of sleep that they didn't wake up. I looked up at the moon, it was full, but the stars were brighter. As I gazed at the sky, a large, dark shadow crossed over the moon. The shape was huge and had the tail of a platypus- bear, but much larger. I followed the huge, flying creature as it arched through the sky and landed in the direction of Mr. Zano's farm.

"Daazi!" I whispered, the boy opened his eyes and looked at me, "I heard a noise, I'll be back by morning. If I'm not...well, make something up for the kids." Daazi nodded. He watched as I placed Leena, Lizz, and Raz's heads gently on the roof and stood up. The kids moved until they were cuddling around each other. I couldn't stop the smile from creeping across my face when Raz put a protective arm around Leena and drew her closer to him. I stepped around Azida and made my way to the ladder. Daazi watched until I reached the only way off of this building. He nodded at me and turned away right before I climbed out of view.

"Oh, man, am I tired," a boy's voice rang out. The speaker's voice was high, and it sounded like he was trying to keep his voice from cracking.

"Well, if you were so tired, why did you insist on giving directions!" This time is was a girl who spoke.

"Katara, calm down. I know that we're all tired and upset, but we're here now and we should try to rest for as long as we can." This voice sounded younger.

"Toph and I are going to make camp for the night," the first voice said. I held back a giggle when it cracked. I peeked around the tree that I had been hiding behind. There were four people walking around the clearing and one huge animal I had never seen before lying in the middle of the clearing. I looked to the left, where the cornfields of the farm were. Mr. Zano's house was up on a hill that overlooked the field; thankfully, the lights in his house were off. I turned back to the clearing, only too see a white creature with long ears hanging upside down in front of me. The creature cocked its head to the side and stared.

"Momo?" the third voice called. I watched as the creature turned to the clearing and launched itself into the air. It glided back to one of the smaller figures in the clearing, chattering incessantly as it crossed the distance.

I watched as the smallest figure stomped one foot on the ground and extended its arms in the air. A small tent of earth rose out of the ground. "Nice one, Toph!" the voice cracked again, "now you just have to bend the rest of us some tents and we'll be set for the night."

"Wait, there's some on there," the smallest figure, Toph, said. There was a determination in the smallest figure's voice that reminded me of Lizz and her own silent but deadly nature.

"Show yourself!" The girl, Katara, said.

I stepped around the tree and stood at the edge of the clearing. "You do know that mosquito-flys are attracted to freshly overturned dirt, don't you?" I had camped out in this clearing before; the insects swarmed at daybreak and it was a deadly mistake to stay in this spot when that happened. A few mosquito-flys weren't a problem, but a swarm of thousands of hungry insects could be deadly. I couldn't let these people's deaths be on me. The figures wiped the surprise from their faces and sank into fighting stances.

A/N: Heck yeah I'm leaving you all with a cliffhanger! I know that these can be super annoying, but they are way too much fun! Seriously, try them in your own stories, it's great. Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. A special thanks to NatNicole for reviewing, I completely agree with you that the show's don't spend enough time on this side of society, but that's what fanfiction is for! Have a great week everybody

-Ananimous


	4. Chapter 4: Introductions

Chapter 4: Introductions

I forced my body to remain relaxed. I had been around enough frightened people to know how to calm a dangerous situation down. "Hello, I'm Hestia," I said. I used the same soothing tone that I used when I calmed Raz down. The same tone that chased away Kane's nightmares. I developed that comforting voice within the first year of looking after the kids; some of the younger ones needed to feel like they hadn't been abandoned in a cruel world. The white creature, Momo, leaped off of one of the figure's shoulders and flew towards me. I grinned as Momo landed at my feet. I crouched and reached a hand out for him to sniff. Momo must have decided that I was alright, because he scampered up my arm and curled around the back of my neck.

The short boy relaxed and walked closer to me, "if Momo likes her, she can't be all that bad."

"Wait! How do we know she wont hurt us?" Toph asked.

"Well, that depends on you guys," I replied. It was a little annoying that they still didn't use my name, but I wasn't dodging Toph's earth-bending, so things were looking up. The boy who was walking towards me stopped and tilted his head a little. "You don't attack me or my family and I won't attack you or turn you in. Sound fair?" I asked. The boy nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, well. I still don't trust her," the boy with a perpetual voice crack said.

"You don't have to trust me, you just have to not attack me. Plus, I know a safe place to sleep and find food."

"She makes a good point," the voice crack boy stroked a dark beard that covered his face.

"Sokka, when are you going to take that thing off?" Katara asked. I looked back at the boy, Sokka. The beard and mustache was slightly too dark for the beard to be his own hair.

"I told you, I can't! It's permanently attached to my face."

"There's also hot water so you can take it off of him," I said. Katara looked skeptical, but she nodded at me and I turned to lead them back to the roof.

"Wait, what about Appa?" The boy that was closest to me asked. I turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. "He's our...uh...pet."

"He can hide in the forest," I said. The trees would provide enough coverage for the giant beast to hide in. Plus, the foliage might create enough shade to darken Appa's white fur. The boy nodded his approval and smiled; he was wearing what looked to be a school uniform. Appa lumbered into the forest with Momo while I guided the rest back to here my family was.

"You went to school?" I asked the shorter boy as we walked off.

"Actually, we just came from a dance party I threw for my classmates."

"Dance party?" I had no idea what a dance was, and the only parties that I knew of were thrown by the upper class citizens. I looked back at their clothes. Katara was wearing a silk dress and the other clothes were either made of silk or fine linen. "Wait, you're not wealthy, are you?" I asked. In my experience, wealthy kids never really understood what it meant to be poor. I'd supported a few ex-elitists and they never repaid their debts.

"Umm...no," the boy said. His eyes shifted to where Toph was walking and quickly turned back to me.

"Is she?" The boy looked conflicted. He didn't want to tell me the truth, but he also didn't want to lie. I'd seen that expression on Lizz's face enough to know what it meant. "What's your name? I know what to call everyone else, but not you." If the kid didn't want to tell me anything, then I wouldn't pry. It wasn't my place to interrogate people.

"Kuzon."

"Lion-boar crap." I didn't mean to raise my voice, but I snapped at the boy loud enough to make Katara and Sokka stop their quiet banter and look at me.

"Oh, I like her!" Toph said from the back of the group, "and just to clear up what Twinkle-toes could say, I gave up everything to come with these people. I know what sacrifice is." It seemed like Toph had the guts to stand up to anyone. Despite what she said, she didn't act like she had had a comfortable upbringing.

"Wanna try the whole name thing again?" I asked.

Not-Kuzon nodded and said, "my name's Aang."

I smiled, "Nice to meet you, Aang."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. As the sky lightened, I heard more and more of my companions start to stumble. They must have been traveling for a long time. I snuck a glance at Aang; there were dark circles under his eyes and he barely had the strength to lift his feet up. It would be a little tricky for him to climb up the ladder and get onto the roof, but I was sure that Aang would manage to get his sleep-deprived body up there.

"Here we are," I said when we reached the slums. I led them to the ladder and began climbing. I could see Azida and Daazi outlined in the pink morning light. The twins still had younger children sleeping on their legs. I looked around for the extra blankets that I kept just in case anyone needed a place to stay for the night. When I found them, I handed the bundle of rough fabric to Katara and let her pass them out to her friends. While she did that, I woke Daazi and whispered, "I brought newcomers. Don't wake us up until eleven and don't let the kids jump on them." The boy nodded and turned to look suspiciously at Sokka. "Don't worry, he's not a threat." Daazi turned back to me and nodded slowly. He wouldn't attack Sokka tonight, but I knew Daazi would keep an eye on the boy. Daazi rarely trusted anyone, and it was a testament to how much he trusted me that he didn't kill the newcomer. I turned back to where my blanket lay forgotten on the floor. It was time to get some rest.


	5. Chapter 5: Wake Up Call

Chapter 5: Wake up Call

The sun was shining into my eyes when Leena decided to wake me up. She flung her small body across my stomach and giggled when I grunted. "Hestia, it's time to get up," she laughed. I wrapped an arm around the middle of her back and sat up. The blankets muffled the sound of her laughter. It had been a while since I had heard Leena laugh-with Raz's outbursts becoming more and more frequent, Leena had started acting more like an adult and less like the child she was.

I looked around the rooftop; most of my family was gone. Only Leena remained on the roof with me. The newcomers still slept in their borrowed blankets. They must have flown through the night. I thought that it was probably a coincidence that I had seen them land, but I didn't really believe in coincidence it was simply too dangerous to think like that. Coincidence was like chance, if you let the universe decide what would happen, it usually wasn't in your favor. Those lessons were ones that I learned on the street and I foolishly hoped Leena would never have to learn them. I wanted her to keep her childish trust and curiosity.

"So, who are they?" Leena asked. Her face lit up with all the possibilities new people brought.

I watched her try to decide which question to ask me about the newcomers before I spoke, "They're tired and a little scared. How about you go wake up that one and put her at ease," I pointed at Katara's sleeping form. "Gently," I called after Leena who had rushed over to where Katara was lying. The little girl grinned at me before she jumped on Katara. I snickered at the older girl's startled noise. Leena wasn't very heavy, but she could wake anyone up just by jumping on them. Katara seemed a little motherly, at least to Sokka, so she wouldn't get mad at Leena.

I stood up and picked up the other blankets while Leena introduced herself to Katara. Soon Leena was giggling and waking up the other sleepers. Aang woke up calmly, but Sokka was less than happy that he'd been woken up.

"Does he always wake up this grumpy?" I asked Katara as her brother walked to the other side of the roof.

"He's usually a lot worse," she said. Katara turned to watch Leena as she crept up on where Toph was sleeping. Her lips were quirked in a knowing smile, so I turned to see how the earth-bender would wake up. Toph actually caught Leena mid-jump and tickled the smaller girl for a few minutes until Leena kicked her hand and wiggled free.

"Wow, Toph, I didn't know you were so good with kids," Katara said. She was helping me fold the blankets and pile them up a few feet away from the fire pit.

"My parents threw a lot of parties. They thought that all of the people would scare me, so they left me and all of the other kids with a maid. I've had a lot of experience with little kids.

"I'm not little!" Leena protested.

"Oh I'm sorry. You're tiny. Thanks for helping me figure out how to describe you." Leena glared at Toph.

"How do you know? You're blind!"

"Leena enough," I cut in.

"But she is. Her eyes are just like Mr. Fire's," Leena protested. I looked back at Toph and noticed how fogged her irises were.

"Leena," I warned. There are two tones that every person who lives with children develops. One of the tones is the hushing tone, the one that I used to calm Aang and his friends down. The other is the warning tone. The trick to using this tone is to say as little as possible, one word is usually enough. I rarely used this voice with Leena, but she'd heard the voice enough to understand that if she didn't back off, bad things would start to happen. Leena looked down at the roof and kicked one foot across the hard surface.

Toph stepped in, "I'm blind, but I can still see."

"How?" Leena asked excitedly.

"It's complicated," Sokka jumped in. He seemed less angry now that he'd gotten some time to wake up. His bed head was impressive and the comical picture was finished by the fake beard which was still attached to his face and riddled with burrs. I asked Leena to bring me a small bowl of water. When she did I lit a small flame and held it under the bowl. When the water was hot I handed the steaming bowl to Katara.

She was looking at me with a shocked expression, "you're a fire-bender?" Her hands shook around the bowl.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"Not at all," Aang said. He waved his hands in a gesture which was probably supposed to put me at ease, but only made him look nervous.

"It's just," Katara paused, "we don't have the best experiences with fire-benders."

"Seeing as you're traveling through the Fire Nation with an earth-bender I wouldn't have guessed."

"Hestia come quick!" A voice shouted from the street.

"One moment," I said to Katara, "feel free to get rid of his beard now." I ran to the ladder and hastily climbed down. Kane stood at the bottom of the ladder; I was a little shocked that he had raised his voice. The boy was covered in dirt and his knees were dripping blood onto the floor beneath him. There were tears in his eyes and a small cut on his forehead. "What happened?" I asked. When both my feet were on the ground he ran to me and gripped my middle as he sobbed into my shirt.

Kane tried to speak, but every time he opened his mouth he only managed to say, "it's all my fault."

A/N: Hello again. I Hope everyone who is american had a wonderful fourth of July and that everyone else had a great week. Sorry this chapter was a little late, I didn't want to rush my Beta during the holidays. On the subject of being late, I forgot to thank both Googlegirl and LightningWolf603 for their reviews. Those made my week. I'll try to update by next Saturday, but this summer is a bit hectic. Anyway enjoy your week everybody!

-Ananimous


	6. Chapter 6: Taken

Chapter 6: Taken

"I know you're scared, Kane, but I need you to tell me what happened." Kane had been sobbing into my shirt for the past five minutes and I really needed to know what was wrong. The only thing that the shaking boy was able to say was 'it's was all my fault'. "There will be time to feel sorry for yourself after you tell me what happened."

Kane's eyes widened and he gasped, but he managed to nod and take a deep breath. "We were playing tag in the Plaza until the Flames started chasing us. Raz got cornered. He tried to scare them off with fire. There were guards. Azida told me to run and get you, but I fell and," he touched the cut on his forehead. "

"That's fine, we can get them back form the Flames, no problem," I rubbed his back and sighed in relief.

"No you don't understand! There were Nation soldiers in the Plaza!" I felt my heart stop. I forced myself to remember to breath as I rubbed the bloody boy's back. I stood up and turned away from him and tried to think of a plan that would get my boys out of the huge mess they were in. "You're gonna bring them back. Right?" Kane asked.

"I'm going to try." I smiled down at Kane before I pointed at the roof, "Leena's up there. Why don't you go keep her safe for me while I look for Raz?" The boy nodded vigorously.

"Wait, we'll come with you," Katara's voice called out from the ladder.

"Can any of you bend?" I asked. Katara, Aang, and Toph nodded. "Fire-bend?" I specified. Katara and Toph both shook their heads, but Aang looked conflicted.

"Look, we may not be able to fire-bend, but we can still fight," Sokka said.

"Fine. Keep up. And don't draw any attention to yourselves." I started down the dirt road. "Oh, and let me do all the talking," I added as an afterthought. We walked through the city at a pace that clearly said 'I have somewhere to be and no one better hold me up'. My feet slapped the ground while my heart pounded out a beat that was twice as fast as my feet were moving. I knew that Raz wouldn't be able to keep his bending a secret, but I wished that he had been able to last a little longer. The Fire Nation would enlist him into the army where he would receive some sort of training. Being as young as he is, Raz will just get sent to one of the mines and he will be treated a little better then a slave. The stories that have leaked out about those mines are horrific. Sometimes I wonder whether the tales are true or if they're just made up by parents to scare their children into behaving.

We rapidly rounded the last corner before the Plaza and I managed to dig my feet into the ground so that I stopped before the mass of people that filled the market place. The benders panted behind me. Sokka's reflexes must not have been sharp enough, because he crashed into the crowd and had to claw his way back out.

"So, what now?" asked Katara. Her blue eyes scanned over the faces of the people like she was pleading them to step aside and reveal Azida and the other kids.

"Follow me." I wove through the crowd toward where I knew the Flames were waiting. The Flames were a gang of teenagers who thought they ran the market because it was in "their territory." Really, the market was a public space; and if anyone had control over it, the whole city did; and if the city didn't, then the merchants who worked in the plaza should be able to make the rules. I don't know exactly what the gang did, but they certainly caused a lot of trouble for my family.

"Why, isn't this a surprise?" Damaz, the leader of the Flames drawled. His voice was like having a mud puddle dumped on your head.

"Where are they?" I demanded.

"Hestia, Hestia; where are your manners? How can you expect to raise children when you lack so many social skills?" Katara moved to attack Damaz, but I held up an arm and she paused.

"Where are they? I'm not going to ask again," I used the warning voice and looked Damaz in the eye.

"Who are you looking for? Really Hestia. You must be more specific."

"You know very well who I'm looking for. Now, tell me where they are." Only a few of the Flames were fire-benders, so when I created a small fire in my fisted hands, many of the boys who were standing behind Damaz, backed away. I flung the fire just left of Damaz's head and when his gang turned to look at the fireball, I grabbed Damaz. The air rushed out of his lungs as I slammed him up against the nearest wall and there was sweat trickling down his neck from where his skin was too close to the second ball of fire that I created. "I won't miss again."

"T-they're in the city jail," Damaz stuttered.

I turned toward Toph and the other newcomers, "let's go."

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for updating so slowly it's been a rough week. Anyway thank you to NatNicole for reviewing. It made me smile so much when I read your comments. (Also, why did you take the picture of Kouji down!? that was a good profile pic..he's one of my favorite characters ever) Have a good week everyone and please review. Your comments are very much appreciated.

-Ananimous


	7. Chapter 7: Break In and Out

Chapter 7: Break In and Out

I hadn't meant to break into the prison. I had been devising a clever plan to get captured and then help my boys break out when a guard grabbed Katara. She lashed out and kicked the guard between the legs. The other guards surrounded her and before I could remind them that this was going according to plan, Sokka had jumped on top of the burliest guard and Toph managed to kick at least five of the armed men to the ground. Aang danced and wove between the fighting bodies, landing a few critical hits as we went. This continued for a few minutes before one of the guards reached behind her and pulled the sword from its sheath across her back. That was the point when I decided that all of my plans had been thrown into Avatar Roku's volcano.

I ran up behind the guard and held my hand up to her throat. "Drop the sword."

"What makes a little girlie like you think that you can order me around?" she sneered.

I felt my palm heat up, "the fact this little girlie can make a big fire." The guard yelped and let her sword clatter to the ground. The fight slowly stopped around me and I heard a few gasps from the guards stationed outside of the jail. "Alright, listen up! Do as I say and I might let this sucker live." The guards nodded fast enough that I felt sorry for their necks. "You two," I pointed to the guards standing outside the door, "are gonna let us pass without calling any of your higher ups. Got that?" The armored figures nodded slowly.

"Hestia, there are better ways to get them back," Aang said quietly from behind me.

The guard that I was holding laughed, "you're Hestia huh? Who'dve thought that the famous keeper of orphans would be the one threatening to kill me. Oh, this is too precious. Are those horrible children are yours? Well, what can I say? Once a delinquent, always a delinquent."

"I'd shut up if I were you," I interrupted.

"What? Are you naive enough to think that the moment you go through that door they're gonna keep following your 'orders'? Stupid girlie. Your kids aren't gonna make it out and neither are you. I'll make sure of that."

"Yeah well, I'll take my chances." I turned back to the small group behind me. "Aang, Katara, I need you to make sure they don't call reinforcements. Toph, Sokka, follow me. Try not to do anything stupid." I pushed the guard in front of me and pushed more energy into the ball of fire in my palm. "If you like your pretty hair, you're gonna show us the way to my kids," I told her.

It was surprisingly easy to break Azida, Lizz, and Raz out of their cells. There was only one guard in the hallway and Sokka was able to take him out with his boomerang. Lizz was in a cell next to Azida and Raz. The small girl had already managed to break a few of the bars with one of her many hidden knives before the guard caught her with it. I easily managed to pry them apart enough for her lean frame to slip through. Azida and Raz were a different matter; but one glance at Toph showed me that she had a plan. She shoved the guard forward and took a key ring from the woman's belt. The cell door was unlocked and we ran.

The guard turned to look me in the eye. Her face was close enough to the flame I was holding that her cheek was turning red. "Believe me, Girlie. You're never gonna get away with this. There's no way in hell you're family's gonna live through the year."

"It's saying tough things like that that gets you killed before the year is up. I'm not sure how well you'll fill out that threat from the grave. Girlie." I gave the guard my happiest smile. She winced and gasped at the pain in her cheeck. I pushed her through the door in front of me, "you guards are never as tough as you think you are." There was a loud cheer from outside the gates. A small crowd had gathered in front of the jail and they were all staring at us. "What are you looking at? There's nothing to see here," I called. They continued to look as someone muscled her way to the front of the group, the young woman pointed at me and held her head up in defiance.

"I saw those guards take two beaten-up boys and a defenseless ten-year-old girl into the jail without charging them!" The girl announced to the crowd behind her. Her dark eyes shined with mischief and her brown curls bounced when she nodded at me.

"That's right! give the girl her brother's back!"

"They're innocent!"

"I saw it all." The crowd was yelling and cheering. They were pushing against the gates and I watched as the hinges were torn off the metal supports. A wall of bodies rushed through and surrounded the guards. The guard that I had been keeping hostage was ripped from my hands and pushed into the center of the mob. Aang and Katara ran next to me and smiled.

"Not many people like the guards in your town," Aang smiled.

"I thought it was just the people in the slums. Aang, why would that girl help us?" I asked.

"Why did you help us?" Aang looked like he was going to speak before Toph rushed at us and interrupted.

"Yeah yeah, we can do the mushy chit chat later, we should go. Now." She took off in the direction of the slums. I looked back to see Azida hoisting Lizz onto his back; Raz was standing shyly by my side. I scooped the boy into my arms and smiled when he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"Hold on tight," I said. Raz nodded into my shoulder.

A/N: Hey Guys! Look at me updating on my birthday, I'm such a nerd. I know it's been a bit longer then I was expecting and I'm sorry for that. If anyone tells you that fight scenes are easy to write without summarizing them feel free to tell them how wrong they are (or if you like being witty you can always punch them in the face and tell them to write about it). I'm not sure how many people actually read my author's notes, but I'd like to thank my wonderful Beta. She has corrected so many comma splices and is the Grammar Queen.

-Ananimous


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